Griffin House for Mr & Mrs. Ralph Peterson

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Another Fred Griffin find

AZ Republic circa 1955 Sun Living section

Sent to me by our friends over at http://www.modernphoenix.net/

I have a new weekend side job working for this fabulous company

I am beyond thrilled, they have such great ethics, a stellar product and are genuinely good people.  I travel around the valley and do dog food demos, which is super easy for me since there is nothing I love more than talking about dogs :)  We have fed our pets this food for quite a while and they do really well on it.

Gutted.  Such a tremendous loss.  No words over here, I am in mourning.

ASU Reunion

Fun get-together with my art school friends from ASU: Thuong, Tony, Ingrid, Matt and we cannot forget little Ruby and Thuong's friend Vera.  So good to reconnect, wonder why we let so much time pass between reunions....

"Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life." Pablo Picasso

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything."
Eugene Delacroix

I miss art...

Lake Placid

Cannot believe I never put these up. Auntie Linda has probably been waiting?

After Leonard's passing, Jeff & I were distraught.  Simply unbearably depressed.  My Aunt Linda reminded me tht we were welcome to visit, I had not seen her since high school, she is my fathers only sister.  We flew dad down from SLC to watch the dogs and we flew to upstate New York.  It was just what we needed and I had so much fun reconnecting with Linda and Jimmie.  I wish we lived closer, Linda & I are kindred spirits.   I took HUNDREDS of photos but only have the patience to upload these.  :)

Main Street at dusk

Aunt Lindas Self Portrait (I have a grade school photo of myself that looks just like this)

Jimmie, Linda, me, Jeff

At our awesome hotel right on Lake Placid

Beautiful fog & sunrises outside our door every morning

Stephen Huneck's Dog Chapel in Vermont, I was crying before I even went in the front door.

On the ferry to Vermont

My Uncle Johns grave.  We took a few swigs of the whiskey and dumped the rest on his grave.  It was a token from my father to his brother.  Sadly, they were estranged at the time of his passing.

At our hotel on Lake Placid.  My Aunt Linda & Jeff.

Memorials at The Dog Chapel.  See the photo of Leonard & Candy?

The Dog Chapel, Vermont.  One of THE most magical places I have ever visited.  Tragically, Stephen Huneck, the man who built this took his life in the Spring of the year we visited.  I had always wanted to meet him, he was a self-taught artist whose muse were dogs.  His wife, Gwen, continues his legacy.

Trees...and the anxiety-ridden day

Large Eucaluptus BEFORE

Large Eucalyptus AFTER

Going up...

Still going...

Sigh. I truly hate having the trees done.  And I am hard to please.  Overall they did a really nice job though I did have to keep running out and micromanaging.  I hate being like that. 

The Cypress and Natal Plum, that were once taller than me, are now about 3 feet tall.  I guess they are used to pruning those down short but I really liked them large & unruly.  The Cypress had created an arch over our pathway and they removed the archway.  The Japanese Privet is another of my favorite trees in the yard, I repeatedly spoke to the owner about the fact the it was butchered and the canopy obliterated by the last tree guys.  We spoke about leaving the new buds/braches on the South alone so it can fill in.  Alas - they raped the poor tree.

Besides these issues, they did a really nice job.  I will hire them again and I do recommend them.  They were less "heavy-handed" than any other company I have hired.  I was distracted with Arizona Organic, the termite guys, while they were trimming and next time I will probably stand outside the entire time :)

Anxiety over tree trim day...

Have had a nagging feeling in my gut about removing the Eucalyptus. I just don't want to. Everything we initially fell in love with at this house has been torn out. The unique built-ins, twelve other trees, the pond, the interior planters. I simply don't want to take out more trees. I called the arborist & we will pow-wow first thing in the a.m.


On another note, I am so in love with this, it makes me smile and tear up

Getting the trees done...

Trees are scheduled for next Friday! Woot! We are feeding & trimming everything. We have to remove one large Eucalyptus because it's more than half dead but I have been assured that the other large Eucalyptus and Chinese Elm will fill in the gaping hole within the year. Really sad to remove yet another tree and hope its the right decision... Pics to follow.

Godspeed sweet girl...

My coworker had to let her 13 yr old companion go yesterday. The quote that brought me much peace was sent to me by our holistic vet after Leo's passing.

"We who choose to surround ourselves
With lives even more temporary than our own,
Live within a fragile circle;
Easily and often breached.

Unable to accept its awful gaps,
We would still live no other way.
We cherish memory
As the only certain immortality,
Never fully understanding
The necessary plan."

Irving Townsend

Back to the punch list...

Electric, entire house rewire $16,000
Electric, rewire & move welder & plasma only $945
(found a fab electrician whom I trust,)

Trees, trim & feed $3180
(includes one Eucalyptus on deaths door)

Dreamy...

Love this so much...